Post-hole digger.



.110.815,133.y Y 'PATENTBD MAR. 1a, 1906. c. w, VAN DE WALKER a. R. T.JENNBY.

Pos1" HOLE BIGGER. APPLIOATIQ FILED MAY 1v?, 19054.

ker feb/zeg Q 7 J8 j 3 9 -mi M Improved Post-Hole Digger, of which the`following is asfull, clear,'and exact descrip- Talla/ZZ whom 1f/ Mayconi/cern: ,y

Be it known that we, CHARLES W. VAN DE' UNITED i STATES CHARLES W. vANDE WALKER 'AND ROBERT TQ JENNEY. OF Two RIVERS( lPATEiSIT OEETOEWISCONSIN, AssreNoRs .To VWESTERN STEEL & 1RON WORKS, or GREEN BAY,WisooNsiN.

WALKER and ROBERT T. J ENNEY, citizens of the United States, andresidents of TWO Rivers, in the county ofv Manitowoc and State ofWisconsin, have invented a new and tion.

This invention relates to tree-planters and post hole diggers. .Thesedevlcesy usually comprise a vertical handle provided with a To refermore scoop or cutter at its lower extremity, which is adapted to beforcedinto the ground and enables the dirt to be removed.

The object of this invention 1s to provideYV an improved constructionforthe cutter and means for operating. the same, with a view to increasingthe efliciency of the device in raising the earth from the hole. j

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to4be described more fully hereinafter and definitely set forth in theclaims.

Reference lis to be had to the accompanying drawingsfforming a part ofthis specification, in which'similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures. f

Fi ure 1is substantially a side elevation of the evice, certain partsbeing broken away and others represented in section, as will appear; andFig. 2 isl a horizontal sectionv taken substantially on the line 2'2 ofFig. 1.

articularly to the parts, 1 lrepresents a brac et which is formed at itsupper portion into a socket 2 which socket receives the lower extremityof a vertical handle v3. Near the lower portionv vof the socket 2 thematerial ofl the bracket is offset4 outwardly, so as to form a shoulder4, having a centrallydisposed opening 5, as shown.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the body of this bracket presents a rounded orcircumferentially-disposed wall 6, which is formed integrally at thesides with forwardly-projecting cheeks 7, which are substantially.dicated Atl-a point below the shoulder 4 at, as' inthe outer side ofthe bracket lis formeduwith an outwardly-projecting bead 8. Thisshoulder 8 constitutes anabutment for the upper extremity or edge of a'main fluke or cutter 9. This cutter is preferably formed of sheetSpecicaton of Letters Patent: I Application filed May 17,190l Serial No.260,876.

` tool.

POSTS-HOLE; DlGG'ER.

` Patented March 1906.

I metal bent 4as indicated in` Fig. 2,-so as to con# l Aformsubstantially to .the outline of thej bracket, and these parts arepermanently secured together by rivets 10, as indicated. Thus it will beseen 'that the cutter 9 constitutes a shell, the lower edge-11 whereofcon- .v

stitute's a cutting edge and is preferably rounded OH' at 12,' so as toconstitute a continuation of theside edges 13 of the main fluke.

Near the .forward edges 13 ofthe cheeks 7 l a yoke 14 is pivotallyattached by lmeans of yrivets 15as indicated. This yoke comprises acurved body which is substantially similar to the curved portion of thebracket in outline, and this body is formed at its sides with integralears` 16, Awhich project inwardly and throughwhich the aforesaid rivetspass, as shown.k To the curved body of the yoke'an auxiliary fluke "orcutter 17 is attached by rivets 18, as shown. tral portion the innerside o f the yoke 14 is formed with an inwardly-projecting arm 19,

'an extremity whereof liesadjacent -to the opposite wall of the bracket1.7 To this armattaches pivotally a llink 20, which passes up throughthe openin 5, as indicated, the body of said link lying a jacent to theedge of the aforesaid handle 3. At a suitable, point a guiding-eye 21 isattached to thehandle, so as `to maintain the link in the relationlshown.

, Nearthe upper portionv of the handle 3 one or morehand-levers V26 areattached, which are pivoted at 27 to the handle, as indicated. At asuitable point the hand-levers are provided withslots 23, through whichthe work-v mans fingers may be thrust to operate the Y These handfleversare pivoted to the link 20 by'pivot-pins 25 and 28, as shown. The toolwould be provided with one hand- 'leverwhen used for ordinary work.Where holes of great depth are to be made, as in 'electric constructionwork, the handle 3 Preferably near its cen- A l.

would be longer-than usual, and more than f one hand-lever would beemployed. S

. From the arrangement ,described it should be'understood that the link20 affords means for controlling the position of the auxiliary fluke orcutter 1`f'7. The lower edge 29 of this cutter 17 constitutes a,continuation of the side edges thereof,vso that this fiuke is formedvery similarly to the fluke 9 aforesaid., On

IOO

the inner face of the curved lwall 6 of the bracket 1 a lug 30 isprovided, which projects into the path of the extremity of the arm 19and constitutes a stop therefor, as will bey readily understood. Thisstop limits the outward movement of the auxiliary iiuke or fin. 17 andwhen the arm is against the lug the outer elements 81 of the two flukesare substantially parallel, as indicated in Fig. 1.

In operating the device the parts are heldn operated so as to releasethe earth.

The device described is evidently of very simple construction and anefiicient manner.

Having thus described our invention, We claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentreadily operated in l. In a device of the classdescribed, in combination, a bracket having an ofi'set shoulder with anopening therethrough, a fluke rigidly carried by said bracket, a movablefluke having a rigid arm projecting toward said bracket, a link passingthrough said opening and attached to said arm, and hand-levers attachedto said handle and making-a jointed connection with said link.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a handle, a fixediluke carried thereby, a movable fluke carried by said handle, saidmovable fluke having an arm, a lug on the inner side of said fixed flukeand constituting a stop for said arm, hand-levers carried by saidhandle, and a link connecting the said hand-levers and said arm.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. VAN DE WALKER. R. '.l. JENNEY.

Witnesses:

FRED. W. DICKE, LYDIA MATTHIEs.

